Method of reforming rail joint bars



Aug. 17, 1937. LANGFQRD 2,090,482

METHOD OF REFORMING RAIL JOINT BARS Filed Dec. 14, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Gag/"9e Lcz ggford Jim 1 612444462 3!- 1937. G. LANGFORD METHOD OF REFORMING RAIL JOINT BARS Filed Dec. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In 06 GQWLQ /lg/M Patented Aug. 17, 1937 eater rice llhli'l'iti dial 9 Claims.

My invention pertains to rail joint bars, commonly called splice bars or angle bars, and. is particularly directed to the reforming of bars worn from use.

Figure 13 is a View similar to Figure 6, of a bar produced by the method of Figure 12.

The reforming of worn bars is now so com- In a broad sense I consider the bars cross- 5 monly practiced as to require no explanation; section as an arch which I flatten out, thereby but the successful continuance of that practice increasing its width or fishing height. In Fig. 1 has made it not only desirable but necessary to a bar is shown in dotted lines, end view, as an develop new and more accurate methods to keep arch, resting upon a bottom die 2. A top die pace with the exacting demands for a better i with pressure P moving from z to 2' has 10 product. The ordinary wear of a rail joint 00- closed upon the arched bar, in dotted lines, flatcurs mostly at its center portion particularly on tening out the arch so that the bar becomes the top fishing surface, and metal is actually shaped as in the full lines. This flattening out worn away there so that the proper reforming of the arch moves surfaces a-b and 0-12 toof the bars worn central portion is interfered a'b' and cd, respectively, thereby materially 15 with by excess of metal at the end portions unless increasing the length of the arch, corresponding the dies commonly used are designed in a manto the bars fishing height. ner to counteract this diiference. In the prior In Fig. 2, the arched bar of Fig. 1, in dotted art it is known that a die cavity may be conlines, is made to resemble more nearly the shape 23 tracted in cross-sectional area at its central of a rail joint bar, but the principle of an arch portion to counteract the central loss of metal, to be flattened out applies as in Fig. 1. Point and it is also known that a die cavity may be 2 is the center of the web element. It is to expanded in cross-sectional area at its end porbe pushed down by pressure P. Surfaces a-b tions so as to relieve the end portions of the bar and cd are to be pushed horizontally outward,

5 from excessive reforming pressure. In the presnot downward. This lateral spreading is a toggle 25 ent invention end relief may be gained without action, which does not require much pressure P, expanding the end portions, or contracting the assuming that the webelement is free to move central portion of the die cavity. downward.

In the drawings: Surfaces a-b and cd are free to move lat- Figure l is an end view of a bar being subjected erally but are restrained from downward move- 30 to pressure indies, illustrating the method of my ment; at and y are the centers of a-b and invention; cd, respectively. Points 0: and y are free Figure 2 is an end View of a bar before the to move laterally but not downwardly, and so if method of my invention is applied; the web element is pushed downwardly, the arch 5 Figure 3 is an end view of the bar of Figure 2 represented by :czy will be made flatter, before, in dotted lines, and after, in full lines, thereby spreading the fishing surfaces a-b and treatment by my method; c-d outwardly and making the bar of in- Figures 4 and 5 are end views of a bar being creased fishing height. This is shown in Fig. 3, reformed in dies according to my invention; the original bar being in dotted lines, and the Figure 6 shows the bar in cross-section, made reformed bar in full lines. Maintaining the width 40 from the worn bar in dotted lines, by the method of a fishing surface, particularly the top one, is of Figure 4; important. If possible, it should not be nar- Figure 7 shows the bar in cross-section, made rowed, thereby decreasing the width of rail from the worn bar in dotted lines, by the method fishing contact. The efiect shown in Fig. 3 is as of Figure 5; the same as in Fig. l. The web element is moved Figure 8, comparable with Figure 1, illustrates downwardly. The head and foot elements are the inverse of the method of Figure 1; restrained from moving downwardly but are free Figure 9 illustrates the inverse of the method to move outwardly as the arch rz-y in Fig. 3 of Figure 2; p is flattened to :t'-zy.

' Figure 10 shows the difficulties encountered But there is more involved in actual practice 50 in the prior art when reducing a bars fishing than merely flattening the original arch. After height; that, metal must be made to flow to restore the Figure 11, illustrating a pair of dies not fully bars centrally worn. fishing surface; also the closed upon a bar, shows how the difficulties common angle form of bar is to be considered. A shown in Figure 10 are avoided; practical application of my invention is shown in 55 Fig.4. This is an end View of a closed die cavity in full lines, I being the top die, and 2 the bottom die. The original bar is in dotted lines.

As surface i;i of the web element is free to move downwardly, to at least i';i of the die, there will be no direct reaction to pressure on surface ij and pressure P will be directed diagonally outward asper the arrow P so that surfaces b'h' and k-d' of the bottom die will bear the reactions to pressure. The head element of the bar will now be considered. As the width of top fishing surface should not be decreased, the reaction to pressure P should avoid the part surface b'e and occur on e-h. This actually does happen naturally. As the arch -is flattened out, eh takes the reaction, as part width be rides upwardly and outwardly. This avoids draughting the bar at be. But the flattening of the arch, rocks the top element so that surface ab of the bar becomes of less angularity and more inclined to surface a-b' of the die; and at the same time, it tends to move upward. In Fig. 4 surface e-h of the bar is draughted so as to cause flow of metal; and this accentuates the previously mentioned difficulty of rocking the fishing surface ab of the bar up and out of its correct position.

Surface a of the bar is now draughted by the top die, so that when the dies are closed surface a-] assumes the shape a/f of the die. Point a is not draughted, so that as the dies close, the heavy pressure is at f; none at fa, although the pressure spreads towards a and counteracts the upward rocking movement of a as compelled by pressure reaction on e-h;v but the top pressure diminishing to a is a finely cushioned movement which pushes a gently to a without draughting it and thereby narrowing fishing surface ab', the thing to be avoided.

More briefly, the method of my invention comprises two features. The arch is flattened to gain fishing height; and the draughts to move metal to restore a worn fishing surface, are so applied as to counteract the upward rocking movement of a fishing surface as the arch is flattened, and to restore that fishing surface without narrowing it. This pertains particularly to the web and top element of a bar.

In the angle form of bar of Fig. 4, the narrow ing of a bottom surface is not important. It is often desirable to narrow it or to shorten the inwardly extended part. 7

It will be noticed in Fig. 4, that surfaces h'-i andy"-k of the die do not draught surfaces h-i and 7 -70 of the bar. Nor does surface i-j' of the die draught surface 1 -7 of the bar. Hitherto draughts on surfaces h-i and a'lc of the bar have been considered essential to push the fishing surfaces opposite them back to increased height. As far as I know, nobody has tried any other way. But I do not so use these surfaces. I merely flatten the arch to gain height. But the bar must also be draughted, and I do this as on surface a-j, with or without the draught on e-h, as the particular case may require In Fig. 4, the important thing to note is that the web element is pushed down and the fishing surfaces are spread outwardly. Surface i;i of the'bar is pushed down to i'7". It may be pushed down farther so that the web element is draughted as may be required in some cases.

In Fig. the bottom die 2 has no raised surface'to engage surface i-j of the bar. Surface z"-7" of the die cannot possibly touch surface i-y of the bar. This makes a very simple form of die. It also precludes the use of a die-lock at 3 as is shown in Fig. 4.

Flattening of the arch and the novel draughting at a-j in Figs. 4 and 5, tending to move the top fishing outwardly and also to restore it, preclude the necessity of draughting surface h-i as in the prior art. The space between hi and h--i' then becomes a relief space, Where excess metal at the end portions of the bar may escape. It may escape at the central portion also if there is an excess of metal there. This permits of longitudinally straight die walls; that is, die surfaces planed in straight from end to end or at ieast without any contraction of the die cavity at center to counteract the loss of centrally worn metal.

The reformed bar does not conform closely to the die-cavity in cross-section. Fig. 6 represents the worn bar, in dotted lines, of Fig. 4 reformed in the die cavity of Fig. 4, to the finished bar of Fig. 6, in full lines and sectioned. The inner parts of the top and bottom elements are thickened vertically in the reformed bar, where metal has flowed into the relief space'between iL-i and h-z" in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 shows similarly the result of the method of Fig. 5. This is merely a more elaborately treated example, The bottomelement is considerably altered. But the features which I claim as new are present in these and all other cases. Considered as an arch, the bar is flattened out to' gain fishing height, and the surfaces ordinarily used to draught and gain fishing height, become relief surfaces; Other surfaces are used for draughting, and the draughting is applied in such manner as to encourage spreading action, leaving the surfaces ordinarily used for spreading purposes, free for relief purposes, so that excess metal, usually at the end portions of the bar, may escape, thereby avoiding excessive end resistance to the reforming pressure. and 7, the outer face of the bar is moved inwardly, and the top fishing surface at least, is

moved upwardly, the bottom fishing surface being moved downwardly in most cases, and sometimes outwardly. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, inward movement is directed to the web element, the top and bottom elements being restrained from movement inward. This flattening of the arch as I define it is a distinctly different operation from that of the prior art, which latter involves a stretching of the web which would occur in Fig. 4 if the top and bottom elements of the bar were draughted at h-i and :i-Jc, respectively. The present method does not draught these surfaces but instead uses them as relief surfaces where any excess of metal may escape, particularly at the less worn end portions of the bar.

The draughting of surfaces other than the relief surfaces h-i and 7'-7c, is accomplished in a manner that suits the spreading action resulting from flattening the arch. In Fig.1 4 the draughting pressure on the head element begins near f and the reaction to that pressure begins near h. As the top die descends, the pressure increases near I and spreads decreasingly toward "a, the reaction spreading decreasingly from h, to c. This has the effect of urging metal to move toward the die wall a-b. The

pressure on a-f also counteracts the tendency of surface a--b of the bar to rock to a decreased angle as the arch is flattened. The web is pushed down; the top and bottom surfaces a-b and c-d In Figs. 6

spread outwardly; and the pressure at aand gn then forces surfaces a-b and 0-11 down to correct angles in their new positions conforming to the die-walls ab and o'd respectively.

Briefly described, the method of my invention,

as shown in Fig. 4, is one which flattens the arch,

and thereby spreads the worn part at least of the bar to greater fishing height, the web element being pushed downward, and the top fishing surface at least being restrained from downward movement, its movement in Fig. 4 being laterally outward. This I believe to be broadly new, as is also the use of surface h-i or surface 7"--k or both surfaces of the die as relief surfaces instead of as draughting surfaces to push the metal outward. While I find the method of draughting part surfaces e-h and 11- of the bar very effective, I may vary this as particular cases may require. 1 may also shape the top element of .20 the bar as shown, and shape the bottom element by some other method.

In the drawings, I show the bar lying on its inner face, and the pressure striking from the upper die on the bars outer face. I may invert .25 the bar or I may make the bottom die the movable one. In the former case, the arch would be flattened by pushing the top and bottom elements downwardly, the outer face of the bar web being restrained from downward movement.

For a clearer understanding, in the claims, I will consider the bar as in its normal position, as that of Fig. 6. The web element may be pushed downward as in Fig. 4, or the top and bottom elements may be pushed upward as would be the case if the bar and die cavity of Fig. 4 were inverted. But in either case, the resultant bar of Fig. 6 would have its web element pushed inward relative to the top fishing surface, and the claims are so worded, the bar being considered as in its normal erect position when the reforming pressure is applied.

My consideration of a bar as an arch crosssectionally is applicable to rail joint bars in general, although in some cases, as in a flat strap form, it may not be considered so. However, if one or both of the top and bottom elements has an inwardly extended part, it may, for my purpose, be defined as transversely arcuate.

The principle of flattening the arch to gain height may be taken as a preliminary operation applicable to new bar manufacture as well as to worn bar reforming. It enables me to gain fishing height either at the worn part of a bar or throughout the bar as a whole. It may be used in the same manner in the manufacture of new bars. But when the fishing height is gained, it is then necessary to reform the fishing surfaces. This second operation must be done to great accuracy and metal must be made to flow to the fishing surface. The method of Fig. 4 described, combines the two operations; first a sort of bending operation which flattens the arch and gains fishing height; second, a finishing operation which draughts one at least of the top and bottom elements, and causes metal to flow to a fishing surface. Preliminary to reforming the bar in the manner stated, it may be, and preferably is, heated to a suitable working temperature, as is known in the art.

My invention as previously described and illustrated may now be taken inversely for the purpose of decreasing instead of increasing the bars original fishing height. Instead of flattening the arch, I make it more arcuate relative to the top fishing surface at least.

In Fig. 8, comparable with Fig. 1 the bar is made more. arcuate which has the effect of drawing the fishing surfaces a-b and c'd inward instead of forcing them outward so that the fishing height of the bar is lowered, not raised as in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 illustrates this inversion comparable with Fig. 2. This increasing of the arch to reduce fishing height has advantages, two at least of which are of great practical value.

The ordinary procedure is shown in Fig. 10.

The bar being of greater fishing height than the die. rides into the bottom die in a raised position, .on surfaces ab and c-d, and jams on these surfaces so that it is difficult to draw the bar into position in the bottom die. This has the effect of wearing the die longitudinally. There is also transverse wear on surfaces ar-b and 0-41 of the die when the reforming. pressure forces the bar down into the bottom die on these surfaces. They wear rapidly as a result, and the tonnage ordinarily producible is greatly curtailed, requiring frequent truing up of the dies in the planer because of destructive wear. This may be remedied as in Fig. 11.

In Fig. 10, surface i-7' ofthe bar does not touch surface i-7" of the die, but in Fig. 11 it does because of the provisions in the bottom die for displacing the web element upwardly relative to the fishing surfaces. The bar slides readily into the bottom die on surface i-y instead of on surfaces ab' and c d, and the wear on surfaces a-b-' and c-d' is greatly reduced. Fig. 12 shows what follows in Fig. 11 when the dies are closed upon the bar, and when compared with Fig. 4, illustrates the inversion of the flattening of-the arch as first described.

Fig. 13 shows the original bar in dotted lines, and the reformed bar in full lines, sectioned.

Inasmuch as the bottom fishing surface of an angle form of bar, is, unlike thetop fishing surface, often preferably narrowed and otherwise altered, a change in the arch is not as obvious at the bottom of a bar as it is at the top. It may be noted however, that in all cases, the outer bolting face at least of the bar is moved inward or outward in relation to a fishing surface, and this is applicable to the bottom fishing surface; furthermore the outer bolting face may be only a part and not all of the outer web face.

Instead of moving the web inward or outward Irmay move the top element or bottom element or both inward or outward but these movements must .change the position of a fishing surface relative. to the outer bolting face. In this, I distinguish from the method of my Patent No. 1,833,026 issued November 24, 1931, wherein the bar, outer bolting face and all, is tilted so as to move the top element inward and the bottom element outward, or vice versa. This patent shifts the. top element inward and the bottom element outward in respect to the rail but not in respect to the bars outer bolting face. The bar as a whole is merely inclined to the rail which is quite different from the present disclosure.

Fig. 12 is the same as Fig. 11, excepting that where in Fig. 11, the dies are nearing closure, they are finally closed in Fig. 12. The original bar is in dotted lines, and the die cavity in full lines. The draughts shown on eh and 60-) are intended to insure flow of metal to surface a'-b. These and other surfaces may be used either for relief or for draughting purposes as different cases warrant. The bottom element of the bar may be treated in the same manner, or both the top and bottom elements may be so treated.

Considering the bar in its upright, installed position, as in Figs. 6 and 13, my method is one wherein the web element of the bar is displaced inwardly or outwardly relative to the top or bottom element or both, to increase or decrease the bars fishing height. More particularly, the web element is displaced laterally relative to the top or bottom fishing surface or both, and this displacement is indicated by change of position of the outer face of the web element or at least that part of the outer face which engages the head of the joint bolt, nut or washer. To insure displacement of metal under pressure, the bar is first heated to a working temperature and then shaped in dies, rolls or any other means that accomplish my purpose.

I claim:

1. The method of reforming a worn rail joint bar, which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature and subjecting it to reforming pressure, said pressure being applied so as to force the web element inwardly, one of the top and bottom fishing surfaces of the bar being restrained from inward movement, and said inward movement of the Web element relative to said one of the top and bottom fishing surfaces,

raising a Worn portion of said one fishing surface to increased fishing height.

2. The method of reforming a worn rail joint bar, which comprises heating the bar to a Working temperature and subjecting it to reforming pressure, said pressure being applied so as to force the web element inwardly, the. top fishing surface being restrained from inward movement, and said inward movement of the web element relative to said topfishing surface raising a worn.

portion of the top fishing surface to increased fishing height.

3. The method of reforming a worn rail joint bar and its top fishing surface, which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature and subjecting it to reforming pressure, said pressure being first applied so as to force the Web element of the bar inward relative to said fishing surface so as to move said'fishing surface to increased fishing height, said pressure being then applied upon one of the inner and outer faces of the top element so as to effect a flow of metal to said fishing surface, the inner-under surface of the bar opposite said fishing surface being relieved from said pressure and providing an outlet for flow of excess metal in said member.

4. As a preliminary operation in the manufacture of rail joint'bars, the method which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature and subjecting it to pressure effective to displace the web element inwardly in relation to the top fishing surface, thereby effecting an increase in fishing surface so as to effect a flow. of metal to said fishing surface, the inner surface of the bar opposite said fishing surface being relieved from said pressure and providing an outlet for flow of excess metal in said element.

6. The method of reforming rail joint bars, which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature, and subjecting it to pressure effective'to displace the web element laterally in relation to the top fishing surface, thereby effecting a change in the bars original fishing height.

7. The method of reforming rail joint bars, which comprisesheating the bar to a working temperature, and subjecting'it to pressure effective to displace the web element outwardly in re lation to the top fishing surface, thereby effect ing a decrease in the bars original fishing height.

8. The method of reforming a worn rail joint bar, which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature, and subjecting it to reforming pressure, said pressure being applied so as to displace the webelement laterally relative to the top fishing surface, said repositioningof said web element changing the bars fishing height.-

9. The method of reforming'the top element and included fishing surface of a rail joint bar, which comprises heating the bar to a working temperature, and subjecting said top element to reforming pressure, said pressure being first applied to displace the web element of the bar laterally relative to said fishing surface thereby effecting a change in the bars original fishing height; said pressure being then applied to said top element so as to effect a flow of metal to said fishing surface.

GEORGE LANGFORD. 

